For most artists, being not only recognized by Elton John but invited to tour the world with him would be a career pinnacle. But Hauser is just getting warmed up. The virtuoso cellist (born Stjepan Hauser), one half of the world-famous duo 2Cellos, has a new solo album “The Player” out and is at the turning point of an exciting new chapter.
Last spring, the members of 2Cellos, Hauser and Luka Šulić, announced their 2022 tour would be their last. “After 10 years of great success, our lifestyles changed,” Hauser shares. “We began as young cellists wanting to conquer the world and share our music with the masses. Now, we have different personalities and mentalities. Luka is a family man, whereas I want to continue traveling and bringing cello to all parts of the world. It’s time for us to take our separate paths.”
2Cellos shot to fame thanks to a 2011 YouTube video that featured the pair putting a ferocious instrumental spin on the Michael Jackson hit, “Smooth Criminal.” The clip took off, catching the attention of Sony Masterworks, who signed them and, before long, Elton John invited the duo to open for him on an international tour.
“I came up with the idea for ‘Smooth Criminal,’” says Hauser. “It was one of the only songs I knew outside of classical music at the time. We wanted to break out. It ended up going viral and the rest is history.”
In the years that followed, their string interpretations of pop music hits earned them a fervent international fan base. They released five albums, collaborated with artists ranging from Andrea Bocelli to The Red Hot Chili Peppers and appeared on major morning shows like “Today” and “Good Morning America” as well as “The Tonight Show” and “Ellen.”
Photos Courtesy of Sony Music
“We were so tired of the limitations that surrounded us in the classical music world,” Hauser explains. “We wanted to demonstrate the versatility of cello and break all preconceived boundaries.”
2Cellos went on to garner a reported 1.3 billion YouTube views over the last ten years, but Hauser had actually been using social media to share his own music even before that, understanding its potential way before today’s innumerable career influencers.
“YouTube in 2009 was just getting started,” he notes. “I was one of the first to really see its huge potential. I saw it as a tool to reach a much wider audience. [And] I wanted to use every tool at my disposal to bring cello to the masses.”
Does he feel, at least in part, that he helped pave the way for aspiring musicians who today use social media to share their gifts, build a following and hopefully ignite their own careers? “Definitely,” he replies. “We were one of the first to rely on [it] to help reach an international audience. It was a new model at the time. But now, it’s so great to see talented people use social media to put their destinies in their own hands and create something for themselves.”
Growing up on the coast of Croatia near the city of Pula, Hauser, 36, says his parents, both artists, provided an “amazing” childhood filled with love, music and an appreciation for nature. “It was my mother who introduced me to the cello, who made me fall in love with this amazingly beautiful and romantic instrument,” he says.
Specifically, he recalls how the melody of “The Swan” by composer Camille Saint-Saëns from his Carnival of Animals symphony deeply affected him. “When I heard it as a really small child for the first time on the radio, I felt those special vibrations all over my body. It was like a magic sound I had never heard before. That moment changed my life forever. Everything I am today, it is from that moment.”
Which leads us to his just-released first solo album, “The Player,” a collection of songs inspired by his love of Latin music and culture. Accompanied by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Hauser performs his own takes on Latin-influenced pop singles, including Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” Shakira’s “Waka Waka,” Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud” and even Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita.” Says Hauser, “I have always loved Latin music, the rhythm and the passion. I chose songs that everyone knows and loves but reimagined them because no one would expect to hear them on the cello. I want to show the world that cello can rock these songs and bring them to life with a fresh twist.”
Does he anticipate hearing from any of the original artists themselves? It’s quite likely. “Every time we’ve done a cover, we’ve gotten validated by the original artist. AC/DC, the Michael Jackson family, Guns N’ Roses — they’ve all loved and shared our renditions with the world. As I enter the Latin genre for the first time, it would be really great to have the same reaction from these wonderful and respected Latin artists.”
“I have been working on this album all my life,” he continues. “I had to reach this level of recognition and this level of skill to be able to gather all these talented people around me to make it happen. Without my team of percussionists, musicians, dancers and production crew, none of this would have been possible. Now is the time.”
As for the album’s title? “’The Player’ can mean so many different things,” he explains. “The title of the album is open to interpretation based on how the music makes you feel. I am a player of the cello, a player of music and a player of life.”
Photos Courtesy of Sony Music
And in case that leads you to wondering, yes, he’s single, despite speculation about some of the gorgeous female performers who pop up on his social media. “I don’t have a girlfriend,” he confirms. “However, I do frequent collaborations with beautiful and talented musicians.”
For now, he and Šulić are wrapping up 2Cellos’ final tour, which will conclude at the end of the year. As much as he’s benefited from social media, he’s relished a post-pandemic return to sold-out live performances.
“Being able to see people’s reaction to the music is why I enjoy playing in front of crowds over social media videos. I love to feel that energy, to feel the crowd appreciate the hard work that goes into creating the musical experience. Nothing is more important than that feeling.”
To support “The Player,” he’ll also kick off a solo tour of his own in 2023. “It’s very exciting. I am here to prove the cello can create a party,” he says.
Because of his continual travel, he resists calling any one place home for the time being. “I am an international citizen,” he explains. “The world is my home. I want to experience everything [it] has to offer.”
He doesn’t take his success or the many opportunities it led to for granted. “Every arena, every audience, every experience with my fans is special. Being able to share the music and make people feel the way cello makes me feel is truly my favorite part of it all. No one thought it would be possible to fill arenas just for the cello. Now, I have proved anyone with the passion and determination for music can make their dreams a reality.”
Photo By Richárd Vojcehovszkij